More Links

Monmouth Routs Sacred Heart to Improve to 7-0 in NEC

from press release

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J.- Monmouth blew open what
was a one-goal halftime lead to cruise to a 12-3 win over Sacred
Heart on Sunday at Kessler Field. With the win, MU improved to 9-6
on the season and 7-0 in NEC play, Sacred Heart fell to 5-9 and 3-4
in league play.

Monmouth took a 3-2 lead with 41 seconds left in the first half
on a Kaleigh Gibbons (Candia, N.H./Central/RMU) then scored nine
unanswered goals in the final 23 minutes of the game to clinch the
victory. Sophomores Emily Barbieri (Parsippany, N.J./DePaul
Catholic) and Karlee Dean (Medford Lakes, N.J./Shawnee) tallied 5
points a piece while the Monmouth defense, led by seniors Gianna
D'Urso (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex) and Kirstyn Urbas (Sewell,
N.J./Washington Twp.) held SHU to eight shots on goal, created 22
miscues and allowed just one goal in the second half.

"Sacred heart has always come at us hard, so to us it is always
an important game," said Head CoachDenise Wescott. "Every game is
important game but it was nice to see we settled in and did some
things. "I was amazed at how well our defense played. Everything
they tried at us we just turned them back. Besides that we just
creating a lot of turnovers. That's probably the most I've seen our
defense come up with possession and not even give up shots."

Before the game, D'Urso, Cassie Campasano (West Islip, N.Y./West
Islip/Jacksonville), Urbas and Sam Savona (Jackson, N.J./Jackson
Liberty/FDU) were honored for playing in their last regular season
game on Kessler Field. Fifth-year Erica Abendschoen (West Caldwell,
N.J./James Caldwell) is Monmouth's fifth senior, but elected to
celebrate senior day with her incoming class last season.

The Hawks pushed the halftime lead to 4-2 on Dean's first goal
of the game but Sacred Heart cut the lead to one after winning the
ensuing draw and going right to goal. From there it was all Hawks
as Monmouth scored nine straight over the final 23:05 of the game.
Savona scored first and Dean scored three of the next four goals
and Monmouth's lead ballooned to 9-3. Barbieri scored twice in the
final 10 minutes and junior Danielle Rakowitz (Montville,
N.J./Montville) finished the scoring with her second goal of the
game.

Gibbons gave the Hawks a 3-2 first half lead when she took a
pass from Abendschoen and beat the SHU netminder with 41 seconds
left. Savona got things going at the 23:48 mark but Sacred Heart
score back to back goals over a three minute period to take a 2-1
advantage. Stathius knotted the game after beating two defenders
and going to goal with a low shot with 5:21 to play in the half.
The Hawks outshot the Pioneers 12-5 and had three shots ring off
the crossbar early in the period.

Barbieri's goals and points were a career-high while Dean's five
points and four goals were also career-marks for the sophomore. MU
goaltender Katie Donohoe (Peterborough, Ontario/Holy Cross
Secondary) made five saves and had two caused turnovers to go with
five ground balls in the win. D'Urso finished with three caused
turnovers and a pair of ground balls to lead the MU defense.

Sacred Heart's three goals were from three different players
while goalie Kelly Keenan had 12 saves in the loss.

Monmouth
heads to Bryant on Friday for a 7 p.m. for a pivotal tilt with the
Bulldogs.